Elspeth Lamb facts for kids

Elspeth Lamb (born in 1951) is a talented Scottish artist. She is especially known for her amazing printmaking. Elspeth uses a special technique called lithographic printmaking.

She is also a teacher and writer about art. Elspeth is famous for using limestone in her lithography. Many other artists had stopped using it. She has worked and taught art all over the world. But Scotland is where she spends most of her time. Her artwork uses bright, bold colours. She often shows traditional stories and ideas in her prints. Elspeth is an elected member of the Royal Scottish Academy.

Learning to Create Art

Elspeth Lamb studied art at several famous schools.

• She first went to the Glasgow School of Art.
• Then, in 1973-74, she studied printmaking at Manchester Metropolitan University.
• After that, she attended the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford.

In 1986, Elspeth spent a year researching art. She went to the Tamarind Institute of Lithography. This institute is part of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Elspeth was also one of the first members of the Glasgow Print Studio. It opened in 1972. There, she worked on etching and lithography. She also helped with early art education projects.

Her Journey as an Artist

For 21 years, Elspeth taught at the Edinburgh College of Art. She even became the Head of the Printmaking Department. She was also a guest teacher at many other UK colleges. These included the Glasgow School of Art and Middlesex University.

In 1999, Elspeth decided to focus fully on her own art. She stopped her full-time teaching jobs. This choice allowed her to split her time. She could work on her own art and teach workshops.

Travels and New Art Skills

In 2000, Elspeth was chosen for a special art program. She spent ten weeks in a village in Japan called Nagasawa. There, she learned a new art skill. She became a student of master craftsmen.

Learning Moku Hanga

Elspeth studied moku hanga. This is a Japanese woodblock printing method. It uses water-based inks. Moku hanga creates incredibly bright and clear colours.

Papermaking Research

Two years later, she went back to Japan. This time, she learned traditional papermaking. This was for a book she was asked to write. Her book, Papermaking for Printmakers, was published in 2006.